Here you will wish (if your troubles do not ingage your thoughts to other things that more nearly concern life) to have a very perticular Account of this Picture; but as I expect to see you when I get to London, I shall suspend my remarks on it till I see you; or if my expectations are not fulfilled, than I will send them to you in wrighting, with my process in making the Copy and an account of the Copy. in the mean time, let not your Spirits be the least dejected, for as we cannot perceive what is before us, weither it is good or evil, so we aught to resolve all into an intire submission to the dispensations of providence, after we have done all in our own power. this we should be carefull to do, and by pursuing our duty we shall always feel an happiness within ourselves that the World cannot rob us of. We even should not entertain a doubt of the goodness of God to us, even to the blessing us in this life with what is good and comfortable. you are now young and a sufferer with the multitude; but now let me ask you if you are so great a sufferer as I am? yet I am not dejected in the least, and was not my impatience to get to England greater than I can express, and my anxiety for you and my other friends in America very distressing to me, I say was it not for these considerations, I could say my spirits were never better than at this time. yet I have lost perhaps my all, as you have; but I have a family, you are single; you are much younger too. these are things that throws the balance much in your favour, very much in your favour. aught you than to be over ancious? in your last Letter by your Sister from two Incidents you drew a very just conclution, and I would have you never lose sight of it. you may say perhaps that my prospects in England gives me an advantage above you, but dont think that, for if I am successfull there you will be a sharer of it; and I assure you your own Works have as

much merrit in them as most of the Artists of your Standing, and much more than three quarters of them. even those who have Study'd in Italy don't in general produce better things than you are capable of produceing. go on with your Studys, and let those fight that chuse to fight. at all events do somthing for the exibition the next year, send it to me. if it is what I could wish, it shall have a place; if not, I will not expose it. not that I doubt of your abillity to [do] it well, but I would have somthing that should make some figure, that should be singled out among the others, and should prefer delaying a year or two rather than be undistinguishd in the Crowd; and it generally happens that those are overloo[ke]d that have not somthing to distinguish them more than the bare merrit of the exicution. beauty for instance, if it is singular, it will with good exicution draw the attention of the publick. that I was singularly happy in in my first exibition. if I can think of any thing within your reach, I mean as to a model, I will menshon it in my next, and wish you to do somthing, if you still stay in America; but I shall be greatly disappointed if you do not prevail with our dear Mother to leave it.

I propose going from this to Venice and through the Tirole, Germany, and Flanders, which is the shortest way to England and a different Rout from that I took in coming to Italy. I shall not return to Parris as I intended, When I gave my perticular rout in a former Letter to your Sister, because that would be going out of my Way. do continue to send me the perticulars of the proceedings from America. I am uneasy for our Brother Pelham and Family. I am also apprehensive that in the Winter, if the Frost should be severe and the Harbour froze, that the Town of Boston will be exposed to an attack; and if it should be taken all that have remained in the town will be consider'd

as enimys to the Country and ill treated or exposed to great distress; for I think the King's ships [are] what at present secures the town from assalt; but when they are lockd up in Ice, the Provincials may find means to set them on fire, and will surely do it, if it is a possable thing, which I think it is. And than how will it be possable for the army to defend a Town, exposed as that will be from every side to be penetrated? I pray God to keep and preserve you all from any additional callamitys; but I have a thousand fears continually crouding into my mind. give my most effectionate Love and Duty to my Dear Mother, to My Father, Brothers, Sisters, Uncles, Aunts, and all Friends, and beleive me, Dear Harry, your most Affectionate Brother,

JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY.

A Plan of Charlestown

A Plan of Charlestown in New England, with part of Boston &c. exhibiting the Redoubt stormed June 1775, with the Works, since erected by his Majestys Troops. Surveyed and Drawn with the General's permission by Henry Pelham.

August, 1775.

Proposed Dedication

To the Honorable Major General Howe—

Animated by whose Conduct and Valour the national Ardour and Bravery of two thousand British Officers and Soldiers, after having been obstructed in their march by a Number of Rail Fences and flanked by a hot fire from dwelling Houses, gained a Victory On the Heights of Charles-Town, June 17, 1775, over the Enthusiasm of above four Thousand Rebels who were entrenched in a strong R[edoub]t1 Mounted with Cannon, 1 The letters in brackets have been erased.

defended by an extensive Breast Work and concealed behind a close prepared Hedge supported with Cannon also; This View of the Scene of Action is respectfully inscribed by his most Obedient

Humble Servant.1

DEAR BROTHER,

Mrs. Copley to Henry Pelham

ISLINGTON, September [t]he 18, 1775

I have Long been looking out for an oppertunity to forward Letters I have receive'd from your Brother and my Dear Husband. I am out of the way of knowing when the Transports Sail. I was much disapointed to find Mr. Huges had saild for Boston, that I mist the oppertunity of letting my Friends hear from me, as I had letters wrote and did not know of the Vessel Sailing. you will see Mr. Copley's great anxieaty to prevail on our Mama to leave America. I was much disapointed to find by your kind Letter of the 26 of July, that you had giveen over all thoughts of comeing to England this fall. I have been looking out for you every arival till My Papa's Letter of the 18 of July, which inform'd me your Mama could not detirmin to come. you can have no Idea of My distress for my Friends in Boston. the accounts we continuly have are so distressing, that I am supprised that our Mama or any that can leave America should hesitate one moment about it. could I add any Arguments to Mr. Copley more persuasive I should not be wanting, but would beg lea[ve] to tell our Mama through you

1 This plan was afterwards embodied in a large map of Boston and the surrounding country, well known for its execution. It was published in London, June 2, 1777, and, doubtless for political reasons, was dedicated to Lord George Germain.

that I should be happy to have in my power to contribute to her comfort. for I think we are so made for each outher that we cannot be happy when we have reason to think our Friends are exposed to distress. my distance is great, but my Thoughts are most continuly in the circle of my Friends. I think how happy should I be to be able to administer any Balm to heal the wou[n]ds of there distress. but hope you and the rest of them will indeavour to keep up your Spirits. for the greater our trials are the greater cause have we to exert all our resolution and fortitude. I have often thought with pleasure on some Sermons Mr. Parker preached not long before I left Boston, from these words: The Lord Raineth. the great uncertainty where my Friends would be has prevented my writing to them so frequently as I should outher wise have don. for I should be loath to have my Letters read in Congress, for I should not expect so much cander as I hope for from my Friends. I am daly hopeing to hear of my Papa's ditermination to leave Boston, and Brother and Sister Bromfield. a report has prevail'd here for some time that the Troops are to remove from Boston to some outher place; but there is no depending uppon common report. we hear Captain Robertson is arived in the Downs in 24 Days from Boston, and that Mrs. Gage is come with him. I am in continual expecttation of hearing from my Friends, and please my Self I shall hear of there ditermination to Leave America, as it appears as if the troubles would daly increase. the last accounts I have from Mr. Copley is the 5 of this Month. he tells me he expects to be in England in Octor. you will find you[r] Letters where [were] wrote on the same Sheet with mine. Some of them where by private hands so that they have arive'd about the same time. in His last he says he expects to Meet you and his Mama here when he arives.